Ball-trap



(No Model.)

M. E. CARD.

BALLl TRAP. No. 257,469. Patented lMay 9,1882;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON E. CARD, OF OAZENOVIA, NEW YORK.

BALL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,469, dated May 9, 1882.

Application tiled February Sl, 1882.

To all ywhom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, MILTON E. GARD, of Oaaenovia, in the county of Madison, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball-Traps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to ball-traps used by sportsmen for throwing glass balls designed for dying targets.

The invention consist-s in a novel construction and combination of the constituent parts ot' the ball-trap, as hereinafter fully described, and speeically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the annexed drawings, Figures l and 2 are elevations ot' the ball-trap, showing opposite sides of the revolving frame and the front and end of the standard on which the said frame is mounted, a portion of the standard being broken away in Fig, l to better illustrate the tripping device. Fig. 3 is a detail view ot' the connection ot the revolving frame with the standard. Fig. 4t is a transverse section taken on line :c .fr in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 are detail views, illustrating the attach ment of the ball-holder to the spring-arm.

Similar letters ot reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the standard oi the ball-trap 5 and it consists of aV suitable base adapted to be bolted down and tirmly secured in its positionffrom which base rise two posts, which are united at the top and near their base by crossplates b b.

Vertically through the center oteach ot' the cross-plates is a circular eye, in which is jonrnaled the spindle a of the revolvingframe F, said parts being cast in one piece, and provided with a shoulder, c, on the upper end ot' the spindle, by which the frame F rides on top o't' the standard A. Said frame and standard are coupled together by means ot an elastic severed metallic ring, c, sprung into a circumferential groove, d, in the spindle aat the under side ofthe cross-plate b ot' the standard, as best seen in Fig. 3 of' the drawings. The frameF extends laterallyin opposite directions from its before-described pivotal connection with the standard, and has integral with one otits ends an open cylinder, G, which projects (No model.

from the side of the frame and is disposed in a vertical plane. Upon this cylinder is wound one end of the spring-arm S, terminating with a hook, s', which is turned toward the axis of the cylinder G and engages a notch, o, at the free edge of said cylinder. The hook s is maintained in the notch 0 by the arrestingarm l), hereinafter described, which arm limits the thrustot" the spring-arm to such an extent as to prevent the coiled end thereof from retraeting sufficiently to throw the hook vs out of its said engagement.

When it isdesired to remove the springarm from the frame F for repairs or renewal it ben comes necessaryto either detach the arrestingarm from the frame F or spring `the springh arm to one side sufficiently to clear the arresting-arm. When this is done the spring-arm S can be swung back sufficiently to turn its coiled end on the cylinder G, and therebythrow thehook s out of the notch o, and so soon as this is effected the spring-arm can be slipped ot't' the end oi' the cylinder Gr.

To the free end ot' the springlarm S is connected the ballholder ,l-l, in the form ot' a ring made integral with a socket, r, which slips over the end ofthe spring-arm, and is secured thereon by means of a pin or key, u, passing` transversely through said socket and through the side of the spring-arm, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The side of the socket i is provided with a horizontal shoulder or projection, which is beveled on its under side.

The other end ol" the frame F is provided with a rigid or stationary laterally-disposed hook or catch, O, adapted to engage with the shoulder of the socket i', before described, and retain the free end of the spring-arm S by forcing the latter down onto and swinging it laterally into said hook, The spring-arm S is thrown oli' the aforesaid catch() by the following instrumentalities:

Vertically through the center of the spindle (l, and through the portion of the frame F directly over the spindle, is extended a channel, in which slides a pin or rod, l1., having iixed to its upper end a conical head, t, which pro jects above the frame F. the rod h protrudes through the base of the spindle a., and across it is extended a beltcrank The lower end of roc 5 vent the movementof the same.

or elbow lever, f, pivoted on the base of the standard. By pulling on a cord or line,l, connected to the `free end of thelever fthe oppositc end of said lever is caused to push the rod h upward. This brings the conical head of said rod to press against the side of the spring-arm S and crowd the same out of its engagement with the hook G,before described. S0 soon as thus released the spring-arm S exerts a violent upward thrust, which throws the ball placed in the ball-holder H. rEhe direction of the ball is controlled by arresting the motion of the spring-arm S at the proper point. This is effected by an arm, D, which is adjustably connected to theft-ame F, and has its extremity in the path ofthe spring-arm, and provided with a rubber pad,p, which receives the concussion incident to the sudden arrest of the spring-arm.

The fixed end of the arrestingarm D consists of a plain rod, which lies in a groove, 7:, inthe side of the frame F, and has its end bent at a right angle and passing through a hole, m, in said frame, and provided at the opposite side th ereof with a clam pingn ut, oz..

In order to admit ot' varying the direction of the ball propelled by the spring-arm S, I provide the frame F with two or more holes, m, for the attachment of the arresting-arm D. The shorter the projection ofthe arreslin g-arm the sooner the arrest of the spring-arm S, and the nearer to a perpendicular line will be the direction of the ball. The direction of the ball is also to a great extent controlled by means of an inclined face, g, on the base of thc spindle a. The lower portion of said face, when brought over the free end of the trippinglever f, arrests the action ol'saidlever, and the elevated portion of the face g liberating said lever and allowing it to press upward the tripping-rod h, and thus throw thc spring-arm S off the catch (l, only when the spindle a, with its revolving frame F, stands in the aforesaid position.

The frame F is revolved by means cfa stl-ing, l, secured to and wound around thc spindle a. A draft on the wound-np line imparts the rotary motion to the aforesaid frame."

c represents a set-screw passing through one of the journal-bearings b, and adapted to engage the spindle a..

When it is desired to hold the frame F stationary on its standard A the set-screw t' is brought to bear on the spindle a., and thus pre- It will be observed that by the described l construction and combination of the constituent parts of my improved ball -trap I render the same exceedingly strong, compact, and simple in construction and most efficient in operation.

Having described myinvention, what I claim 1s- 1. The combination of theframe F, provided with the stationary laterally-disposed hook C, and the spring-arm S, having the ballholder H, provided on the side of its socket r with a horizontal shoulder beveled on its under side, the trippin g-rod h, extended vertically through the center ofthe spindle a, and provided with the cone t', and theleverf, extended under the base of the spindle, substantially as shown and set forth.

2. The spindle a, having the inclined face g at itslower end, in combination with the trippin g-rod h, extended vertically through said spindle, and the tripping-lever f, extended under the base ot' the spindle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination oi' the frame F, provided with the arresting-arm D, and with the open cylinder G, the latter having a notch, 0, in its free edge, and thespring-arm S,woundaronnd said cylinder and terminating with a hook, s',

turned toward the axis of the cylinder and engaging the notch o, said spring-arm being maintainedy in its connection on the cylinder by the arresting-arm depriving the spring-arm ot' snfcient play to effect its disengagement from thenotch 0, as specified and shown.

4. The frame F, provided with the groove 7.' and holes m., andthe arresting-arm D,'lying in said groove, and having its lower extremity bent at a right angle and passing through one ofthe holes m, and provided with the clamping-unta, substantially as described and shown.

5. In combination with the springarm S, the ball-holder consisting oi' the ring H, having integral with' it the socket o', and provided on the side ot' said socket with a horizontal shoulder beveled on its under side, substantially as described and sho\vn,for the purpose specilied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed lny name and aiiixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses,at Syracuse,in the county ot' Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 31st day of December, 1881.

MILTON CARD. [L s] Witnesses K. HEY, U. H. DUELL.

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